MPP blasts provincial cuts to LHINs

The Ministry of Health has revealed details about cuts to Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN) set to affect the Erie St. Clair LHIN.

According to Travis Kann, spokesperson for health minister Christine Elliott, 13 vacant positions are on the chopping block at the Erie St. Clair LHIN and fewer than 10 filled positions are set to be cut.

"None of the impacted positions provide direct patient care," said Kann in an email to CBC News.

"Examples of duplication include positions in communications, human resources, planning, data analytics and financial services."

Kann added that impacted positions will be spread between the LHIN headquarters in Chatham and throughout the rest of the LHIN.

He explained that the province can't provide exact figures when the numbers are under 10, in order to protect individual privacy.

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However, Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky says that doesn't mean patients won't be affected by cuts.

"This government is cutting jobs to the very people that help maintain the list of organ donors, seek out new donors and help coordinate organ donation taking place. That's going to drastically affect those that are waiting for an organ transplant," said Gretzky.

Gretzky said Doug Ford is breaking his promise that no one will lose a job due to government cuts.

A total of 416 people are set to receive pink slips across the provincial LHINs.

"This is going to affect patients who rely on home care," said Gretzky.

"And it's only going to increase the number of people who are receiving health care in the hallways, or in the bathrooms or in the closets in our hospitals."

The LHIN has directed all inquires to the province.

Gretzky said she will continue to push back against the cuts and try to find out more information.